How to Do a Ruffian Manicure

Now that the base coat is dry, it's time to put on the second color. It's not too difficult once you get the hang of it, but you'll need a steady hand, so be warned. It's best to choose an opaque color for this coat. You want something that will work with one or two coats at most. Too many coats will make the nail look lumpy and sloppy. Sheer polishes won't work.

Place a drop of polish in the center of your nail. With the brush, push the drop down a little bit until you decide where color No. 2 ends and color No. 1 begins. Then move your brush upwards to the top of the nail, creating a vertical stripe up the middle.

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Do the same thing on the left and right sides of the nail, following the curve of the base. You'll see color No. 1 peeking out in a crescent shape at the bottom of your nail. It's just like painting your nails normally, except you start the color a bit higher up. Make sense?